Officials: At least half of Nassau buses fail safety inspections

Long Island Bus is about to get a new name and a new operator, but the fleet of buses will remain the same, and inspections

MINEOLA - Long Island Bus is about to get a new name and a new operator, but the fleet of buses will remain the same, and inspections are shedding new light on safety concerns.At least half of the buses are failing safety checks as the Department of Transportation inspects the buses to transfer them over to Veolia Transportation, the county's new privatized bus operator.Inspectors found issues like faulty brakes, broken brake hoses, inoperable emergency escape hatches, faulty doors and horns that don't honk.With the bus inspection failure rate at 50 percent or more, thousands of riders are waiting much longer each day for rides while the buses get fixed.LI Bus riders, workers demand answers at Legislature meetingLI Bus riders fret over possible service changesPlan for private bus service has public up in arms